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Bonaguil Castle

Description

Château de Bonaguil is a castle located in the village of Saint-Front-sur-Lémance, in the Lot et Garonne department of southwestern France. It is an excellent example of defensive fortified castle, built in the 13th century and expanded in the late 15th, perched on a rocky promontory. It is now owned and operated by the commune of Fumel and classified as an historical monument. The visit can be self-guided or following a guide (timing available by calling the castle on +33 5 53 41 90 71, or when reaching). Most of the castle can be visited in about 60-90mins. The path is described here in French: http://www.chateau-bonaguil.com/en/node/22

Access & Transport

Driving is very much the recommended option but there are several ways to get there depending on where you will be coming from. The closest large town is Agen 60kms away, followed by Montauban at 80km. However, driving from Bordeaux, one would route through Marmande and from Toulouse one would exit the A63 in Castelsarrasin. There are 2 free parkings in the village and near the castle.

Instructions & Recommendations

If you are visiting on a Thursday, we suggest heading first to the weekly market of Monsempron-Libos market (12km away). We also recommend you have a functioning GPS or check you map before driving there.

Meta review

Excellent reviews in general, visitors enjoy the well-preserved architecture and comprehensive signage and info provided. The key complaints relate to price that some find a little high and the fact that since those are ruins, many rooms / sections end up looking the same after a while. Note that several reviewers have noted the ascent from the village is quite steep.

Environmental & Social

Environmentally neutral. Helps preserve the region's architectural and cultural heritages and brings some economic influx to the surrounding villages

Conclusion

The Château de Bonaguil is a picture perfect medieval fortified castle that provides an opportunity for visitors to learn more not only about military defence of the time but about the region's history. Plenty of rooms but do not expect to see much inside. This means that unless you are passionate about castles, we would not recommend driving long distance solely for this sight; but if you are within a 45mins radius it is clearly worth a detour.

Key positive

Extremely well preserved and photogenic ruins of a fortified castle

Comprehensive visit with detailed explanations

Key negative

Can be a little tricky to find and out of the way

Suitability

Suitable for all ages but younger kids may not remain interested for long. The ruins are not accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

May 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Opens until 19h00 in July & Aug and from 10h30 to 17h30 in March and Oct.

av. transport time:0h 45m

est. visit time:1h 30m

Regulated hours

Start of Season 1:Mar, 01

Season 1

MONDAY10:00 - 18:00

TUESDAY10:00 - 18:00

WEDNESDAY10:00 - 18:00

THURSDAY10:00 - 18:00

FRIDAY10:00 - 18:00

SATURDAY10:00 - 18:00

SUNDAY10:00 - 18:00

Start of Season 2:Nov, 01

Season 2

MONDAY -

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY -

THURSDAY -

FRIDAY -

SATURDAY -

SUNDAY -

Pricing
Advanced notice and arrangements required
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Group price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€9.5
7.5
Adult
18 - 64
€9.5
7.5
Teen & Young
13 - 17
€7.5
7.5
Child
6 - 12
€5
7.5
Infant
0 - 5
€0
0

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